Naman Shrestha
Investigation Discovery’s ‘A Time to Kill: Three’s Company Four’s a Crowd’ and NBC’s ‘Dateline: Deadly Entanglement’ chronicle the tragic killing of a middle school art teacher named Desiree Sunford in her Washington home in April 2013. Although the detectives suspected her husband to be involved in the gruesome crime, physical and witness statements led them to a love triangle and Marty Grismer, who turned out to be the killer.
Marty Grismer Fatally Ambushed Desiree Sunford in Her Yakima Home
Born around 1987, Marty Dean Grismer seemingly worked at a food manufacturing company alongside Paige Blades, who allegedly maintained a three-way relationship with the Sunfords — Desiree and Scott. As per Paige, Marty was obsessed with her and would do anything for her. It was alleged that he burglarized the Sunford residence around March 2013, stealing a laptop computer, jewelry, and a jewelry box. A few weeks later, in the early hours of April 7, 2013, Marty broke into Sunfords’ house in Yakima, Washington, and attacked Desiree while Scott was away attending a family funeral in the Tri-Cities. He shot the 30-year-old woman nine times and fled the scene. Several hours later, the authorities found her remains in the home along with multiple bullet casings scattered at the scene.
They also came across a bloody footprint from the killer’s boot near Desiree’s remains. When the detectives learned about the alleged three-way relationship between Paige, Scott, and Desiree, they suspected Scott and Paige to be involved in Desiree’s murder. However, when no evidence linked either of them to the crime, the case began going cold. Several months later, in July 2015, the police received an anonymous tip that pointed them towards Marty Grismer. The tipster turned out to be Paige Blades. During the interview, she told the detectives that although Marty was a platonic friend, he was infatuated with her to the point that he would do anything for her. She claimed that Marty had confessed to killing Desiree so that she could be with Scott.
To prove his guilt, Paige also agreed to wear a wire and record his confession. However, during the meeting, Marty refused to know anything about Desiree’s murder and didn’t confess to it. Not long after, the authorities received a call from Marty’s employer, who came across a plastic bag consisting of gun parts hidden in his office. The firearm not only belonged to Marty, but it also matched the shell casings found at the crime scene, tying him directly to the murder. Thus, in November 2014, he was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, despite his claims of innocence. During the search of his father’s residence, the detectives found shoes that matched the size of the footprint they found near Desiree’s remains. Moreover, the workers at the plant where he worked also found items connected to the Sunford Burglary.
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Marty Grismer is Currently Incarcerated at a Washington Prison
After multiple delays, Marty Grismer was scheduled to go on trial in January 2018. However, a few weeks earlier, in December 2017, he entered an Alford plea to charges of second-degree murder, which meant that he acknowledged that the prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him but didn’t admit guilt. While awaiting trial, Marty allegedly confessed to killing Desiree Sunford to his cellmate, Jesse Castillo, claiming he was in love with Paige and his motive was to frame her husband, Scott Sunford. On January 8, 2018, his sentencing hearing took place.
Desiree’s mother, Connie Kast, took the stand and gave an emotional victim impact statement. Addressing Marty, she said, “Marty, you thought you silenced Desiree by destroying her physical body. Her memory goes on in the hearts of those who loved her, and neither you nor anyone else can destroy that. Your Honor, I can only speak to you about one thing at this point. Sentence this evil being to the harshest prison in our system. He deserves to be among other evil. I don’t know how much pain the human heart can hold, but I have reached my maximum.”
Marty Grismer was also given the opportunity to address the court, but he reportedly declined to speak. Ultimately, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the shooting death of Desiree Sunford. In addition, he was also ordered to pay more than $14,000 in restitution. As of today, the 39-year-old killer is serving his sentence at Washington State Penitentiary – MSU in Walla Walla, Washington, while awaiting his parole eligibility date.
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